2013-10-31

I took my guests to Otaru City and Yoichi Town.
Beautiful cut glasses are exhibited in the showcase of "Kitaichi Glass" in the former warehouse built with stones.
They were a kind of art inspired with sunshine and the shade.
We bought a very cute glass featured with rabbit on the moon.

NIKKA WHISKY DISTILLERIES is one of the place I had been eager to show to my guests who had the origin in Scotland where the founder of Nikka Mr. Masataka Taketsuru learned how to make whisky and found his better half Rita.
It is a pity that Mr. Taketsuru and Rita could not have any biological kids and I could not hear the talk of Scotland-origin people.

On the premises of of Nikka Distilleries, so nice scenery can be also savored with whisky and snacks.
Bright sunshine gives the vivid color to the autumnal foliage. Very few tourists were in the distilleries and we could enjoy enough the whisky that got the first prize in the world whisky competition.

2013-10-30

I will post the photos of my guests after they arrived in their city for security reason.
From the gate of Hokkaido University on Kita 13-jo street, the bright yellow tunnel can be seen and many citizens and tourists were taking photos on the premises of the university that I graduated.

The maple was also showing the visitors its bright red and orange color.
I think the beauty is the best in recent five years.
Some people were collecting the fruits of the gingko. The taste of autumn may make us fat before the snow fall in December.
Have you started some exercise ?
You might as well find the best way to stay fit even in beautiful season.
If you could send me the photos with articles on Hokkaido to ikeda.kazuaki@pref.hokkaido/lg.jp
I would really appreciate it so much and some kind of giveaway may be sent to the contributor ;)

2013-10-29

It's a pity that my family from the United States of America has left for the next destination. To be honest, I will be missing them for a while.
Further more, I regret that I could not take them to this place and let them try the most popular ramen noodle flavored with fermented soy-beans paste, ginger and garlic.

The figures named "Fukusuke and his wife " that bring good fortune and happiness restaurant are waiting for and welcome the guests.
The ramen noodle soup for souvenir is available and exhibited on top of the shelf.

You can not see the steam from the surface of the soup but it is very hot and covered with melted fat. This is what I had been eager to let my guests try.
Currently, this ramen restaurant group has a branch even in Kyoto City, Yokohama City, Hakata City, Fukuoka City and Chiba City but I have not tried and checked the grade and the skill of the chefs in those restaurant except for the branch in Yokohama City.
I hope my guests find one of them in Kyoto City

The sliced leek can add a twist to the ramen noodle soup with ginger paste.
The flagship restaurant of the group allures millions of people every year.
I hope my guests check out the Kyoto Branch at http://www.sumireya.com/main/mainshop/index.shtml#kyouto

and try the Sapporo Ramen in Kyoto.
The URL of the flagship restaurant is
http://www.sumireya.com/

and the address is 〒062-0922北海道札幌市豊平区中の島2条4丁目7-28 TEL/011-824-5655 FAX/011-823-9905Open ：11:00～21:00If you drank up the soup, you can find the characters of "Kansha" which means "Appreciation" at the bottom of the bowl.Chao !

2013-10-28

I am not sure how long we can savor the colors of the trees in Hokkaido University but it is peaking on the beauty before white winter.

Many citizens and tourists were taking photos of the trees on the premises of the university.

The foliage is like flames of yellow, pale green and red under the bright sunshine.
So far, I can not feel the smell of gingko fruit yet.
The typhoons are away and disappeared.
It is the chance to hit the road and cut out the beautiful scenery with your camera !
If you got the best of the bests of Hokkaido scenery, please send it to
ikeda.kazuaki@pref.hokkaido.lg.jp
Some novelty may be given to the person who contributed the article with photos on Hokkaido !

It was a pity that the muscle that I tore in my calf caused me pain but that makes enough time to take photos of beautiful colored foliage and to adjust the imbalance of my body.
The imbalance of the muscle power brings me another problem in the joint or muscle.

It is like a infectious disease brought by the distortion of our body from the hip joint to the knees and calves.
Until we can make the body that hits the balance between right side and left. Brisk walking brings no pain and too much burden to the joints of our body.
Just enjoy and walk around the premises of Hokkaido University !

The beauty of autumnal foliage has come down to our neck of the woods !
Please visit Hokkaido University as soon as possible !
The color of the leaves may be more beautiful than last year.
I am back from the eastern part of Hokkaido yesterday after enjoying the reunion with my friends from North America and hot spring bath on the hillside of Mt. Asahi(dake) and at the foot of Mt. Tomuraushi.
I will post the photos after my guests arrived in their home.

Before that, I have to report and recommend you all to visit Hokkaido University in Sapporo City.

It is getting cold even under the sunshine but the colored foliage on the premises are so nice and worthwhile.

Please warm up with your bodies with the beautiful scenery and a fire pot that can be savored with your friends or families !

It is like a palette in the forest with a sculpture that is expected to be colored, isn't it ?
The white sculpture is the monument of the coalmine that was closed.

In Japanese, it is called "Tanzan-no-hi".
"The coalmine in Bibai City was closed and the coalmine workers left there. Each of the workers had their own role to earn the breads as well as the delight to contribute to the society and the happy community festival. As the era went by, the people accomplished their mandate and nobody is there in this area. Just the mountain of coal is there and it contains the coal layer inside and talks about the history." said the monument.

This sculpture is built to send the soul of Korean people to Seoul in Korea. I heard that a sculpture to receive those souls of the Korean people who passed away in this area is in Seoul.
Anybody knows about it ?
I would like to know the shape of the sculpture in Seoul.

Around this sculpture, so beautifully-colored foliage can be seen now. It is like the blood of coalmine workers from Korea.

And it is like the color of passion they have in their mind and soul.

It seems that each of the leaves talks about that and the history eloquently in calm.

All the history is covered with green in spring and summer, with this beautiful red and yellow in autumn, and with white in winter. We are collecting the story of this area and accumulate them in the guide manual.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send email to
ikeda.kazuaki@pref.hokkaido.lg.jp
;)

2013-10-22

This is one of the buildings left in the memorial park of coalmine area.

In 1960's, this area was in full flourish and many buildings were there shown on the right. The railways to carry out the coal were still working .

Hospitals for coalmine workers and their family were well-equipped with the state-of-the-art technology at that time.

To be surprised, English descriptions are on the information board as follows;

Many lines of railways can be seen on the map.

These buildings including the shaft towers were designated as the "Modern Industrial Heritage" by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment of Japan.

The buildings are now covered with trees and grass. Is this a kind of harmony of artificial works and nature ?

The orange color of the shaft towers look so vivid in the green. As time goes by, the people who can talk about the era of prosperity decrease little by little.
We are making the guide manual of the former coalmine areas so that some body will be able to explain on what were there before.

About Me

This English blog was established by a lady born in the town that contains the community of the indigenous people, Ainu in Hokkaido and was handed down the management to Sorachi Sub-prefectural Office of Hokkaido Government.The e-mail address is the namesake of her first name Chiseko given by her father and the name of the sub-prefectural area Sorachi and the division handling this English blog Chisei-ka.Her name Chiseko is the namesake of the word of "Chise" which means
house" in Ainu language, by way of parenthesis.